A report on the latest developments from the global warming talks
in Buenos Aires from the Buenos Aires Global Warming Summit Information
Center's on-site reporter, John Carlisle.

A Possible Conference Walk-Out

U.S. demands that developing nations commit to some sort of greenhouse
gas emissions limits may have precipitated a walk-out of the G-77, the
bloc of developing nations taking part in the negotiations, according to
as yet unconfirmed reports.

The reports seem credible, given that U.S. negotiators have been at
serious loggerheads with the developing nations over this issue throughout
the Buenos Aires meeting. The conflict stems from U.S. Senate passage
of the Byrd-Hagel resolution last year, which stipulated, among other things,
that the Senate would reject any global warming treaty that did not include
emissions reduction commitments from all nations, including developing
nations. Led by China and Indonesia, these nations adamantly oppose any
such limits.

Another sign that the reports could be credible is the fact that European
Union (EU) spokemen failed to show up for their daily press conference.
The fact that they did so without informing EU staff may indicate something
is up.

The American delegation, led by Stuart Eizenstat (Undersecretary of
State) and Todd Stern, the President's Climate Change Coordinator, did
hold their press conference on time at 7:00 PM. What was significant about
the press conference was that they said very little. Eizenstat kicked
off the conference praising Argentina for providing a good example of meaningful
participation. President Menem, earlier in the day, had given a speech
on how his country had managed to grow economically without excessively
increasing its CO2 emissions.

Eisenstat also praised Kazakhstan for announcing that it will join the
developed countries (Annex 1) in committing to reduce its CO2 emissions.

One reporter asked if it was true that Kazakhstan's CO2 emissions had
already dropped due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Eizenstat claimed
this wasn't so without offering any specific facts.

When asked if Vice President Gore was coming, Todd Stern emphatically
said "no." He didn't offer any reasons. That could be another
indication of a collapse in the talks. Gore would not want to travel to
Buenos Aires if the conference was going to be a failure.

There is still no word if President Clinton is going to sign the treaty.

In other news, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) circulated
a press release, signed by CEI, The National Center for Public Policy
Research and other groups, criticizing Population Action International
for its support of population control as a means of reducing global warming,
saying, "After CO2, even childbirths may become a target of the climate
treaty, especially in poorer countries. Global Green pressure groups attending
the U.N. climate talks believe that the underdeveloped world is having
too many children. Poorer countries must limit their population in order
to save the climate."

Population Action International had argued that "nations should
pay more attention to the world's explosive birth rate, particularly in
poor nations, during climate talks to figure out how to curb global warming..."
(Reuters, 11/11). Robert Engelman, a director of Population Action International,
said the current population of 5.9 billion could double by 2040 if current
birth rates of 225,000 a day continue, making it more difficult to curb
smokestack and tailpipe emissions. He said the regions experiencing the
greatest birth rates are Sub-Saharan Africa (2.5%), South Asia and the
Middle East (2%), and Latin America (1.5%).

New Poll Shows 60% Oppose to Global Warming Treaty

An exit poll conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide during the recent U.S.
elections found that 60% of voters oppose implementation of the Kyoto Protocol
global warming treaty due to the high costs it would impose on the U.S.
economy.

Environmentalists Show Hypocrisy by Attending Buenos Aires
Conference

The average environmentalist attending the Buenos Aires global warming
conference will burn over 188 gallons of jet fuel to attend the conference.
He or she will nonetheless lecture everyone else on the need to reduce
fuel consumption throughout the conference.